Bylaws

ACADEMY OF ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING - MISSOURI UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

A.    The purpose of the Academy of Electrical & Computer Engineering (hereinafter Academy) is to:

        1. Function as an Advisory Board to the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department Chairman.

        2. Provide recognition of its member's professional accomplishments.

        3. Provide opportunities for members to return a portion of their financial wealth to Missouri S&T that provided them a strong educational
        background.

        4. Provide opportunities to return a portion of personal time in support of Missouri S&T.

B.    A more detailed purpose of the Academy is stated in the Academy's Charter Member document "A STATEMENT OF AGREEMENT AND UNDERSTANDING CONCERNING THE ACADEMY OF ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING" which is to be maintained as Attachment to these Bylaws.

A.    Active members shall be limited to living individuals who were duly elected and subject to the following conditions:
        
        1. Each active member shall hold an electrical engineering or computer engineering degree from Missouri S&T or from a recognized
        engineering school granted at least twenty (20) years prior to election. The member's degree and professional activities shall
        attest to the members' competence in electrical or computer engineering.

        2. Each candidate shall receive at least a three-fourths affirmative vote of the total votes cast for election to membership.

        3. The number of active members from electrical engineering departments or computer engineering departments at universities
        other than Missouri S&T may not exceed twenty (20) and not more than one (1) from an electrical engineering department or
        computer engineering department other than Missouri S&T may be elected in a single year.

        4. A candidate who is elected to membership shall be present for induction at the first induction ceremony held after said election,
        except that the President may waive this requirement in the event of illness of the candidate, absence of the candidate from the country,
        or other reasons acceptable by the President.  If this requirement is not waived by the President, the invitation shall be withdrawn and
        the candidate shall revert to non-elected status.

B.    Honorary members shall be living or deceased individuals who are duly elected and subject to the following conditions:
        
        1. Each shall have had the unanimous approval of the Directors and a three-fourths affirmative vote of the membership or of a quorum
        of members present at an annual meeting.

        2. At no time shall the living honorary members exceed ten (10) percent of the active members.

        3. At no time shall the living honorary members from an electrical engineering department or computer engineering department other than
        Missouri S&T exceed twenty (20) percent of the elected living honorary members.

        4. Honorary members may be inducted without being present.

C.   Distinguished past members shall consist of those former active members that are deceased.

A.    The Chairman of the Membership Committee shall request of all active members by May 1 of each year such nominations as they care to make. Such nominations shall be individuals qualified under Article II.A.1 of these bylaws and shall be accompanied by data substantiating their qualifications.

B.    The Membership Committee shall review, determine eligibility, and forward their recommended nominations to the Board of Directors by July 15 of each year.

C.    The Board of Directors shall review and certify the nominations by August 15 of each year and return those that are acceptable to the Board, to the Chairman of the Membership Committee.

A.    The Chairman of the Membership Committee shall prepare a ballot listing the names of all those certified by the Board of Directors as nominees for membership. A brief profile of each nominee shall accompany the ballot. The Academy secretary within the staff of the Electrical & Computer Engineering Department shall email the ballot and profiles to all active members by September 1 of each year. Receiving the completed ballot from the email address on record for an active member is required as certification of ballot eligibility for canvassing.

B.    The Membership Committee shall canvas all certified ballots received by October 15 of each year. By November 1 of each year, the Membership Committee shall declare as elected and eligible for invitation to membership those who have qualified under the provision of these bylaws.

C.    The President of the Academy and the Chairman of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department shall jointly notify the nominees of their election and extend to each of them an invitation to join the Academy no later than December 1.

A.    Meetings of the Membership
        
        1. An annual meeting of the membership shall be held at such time and at such place as shall be determined by the Board of Directors.

        2. There shall be an Induction Ceremony for the purpose of inducting newly elected members, and it shall usually be held in conjunction with
        the Annual Meeting at a time and place determined by the Board of Directors.

        3. There may be other meetings as shall be determined either by the Board of Directors or by a petition signed by one-third of the active
        members who shall require the Board of Directors to call such meetings.

        4. Each meeting shall be announced by email or mail thirty (30) days prior to the date of the meeting.

B.    Quorum at the Membership Meetings

        1. A quorum shall consist of thirty (30) percent of the active members or of eighteen (18) active members, whichever is less.
        
        2. Every act or decision made either when a majority of the membership is present or when a quorum is present shall be an act of membership.

C.    Directors

        1. The Board of Directors shall consist of six (6) Directors with two (2) elected by and from the active members at each Annual Meeting.
        In addition, the President, Vice President, Secretary/Treasurer, and immediate Past President shall serve as Directors. (The Chairman of
        the Electrical & Computer Engineering Department shall serve as an ex-officio member of the Board of Directors and shall serve as the
        Academy's acting secretary, assuming responsibilities of communication, balloting, and other detailed activities under the direction of
        the Board of Directors.)

        2. At the first Annual Meeting of the Academy, the members shall elect six (6) Directors; two (2) to serve for one (1) year, two (2) to serve
        for two (2) years and two (2) to serve for three (3) years. Those Directors who will serve the various terms will be determined by lot.
        Successors will be elected for three (3) year terms.

        3. Each vacancy on the Board of Directors occurring from death or resignation shall be filled at the next Annual Meeting of the Academy.
        The active members will elect a Director to complete the unexpired term for each vacancy.

D.    Officers

        1. The officers of the Academy shall be a President, Vice President, and Secretary/Treasurer. They shall be nominated and elected by
        and from the active membership promptly after the election of Directors at the Annual Meeting falling in odd numbered years.
        All officers shall serve two-year terms.

        2. The President shall serve as President of the Academy and as President of the Board of Directors.

        3. The Vice President shall succeed to the Presidency in the event that the office is vacated.

        4. The normal progression to the office of President shall be from Secretary/Treasurer to Vice President to President.

        5. The President shall, with the approval of the Board of Directors, appoint replacements to fill other vacancies.

        6. The Officers shall have such duties as are necessary for the purposes and functions of the organization and such duties as are assigned
        by the Board of Directors.

        7. The Officers shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for expenses incurred, if such expenses are authorized and
        approved by the President and approved by the Board of Directors.

        8. Installation of Officers shall be the last order of business at the Academy Dinner following the Annual Meeting.

E.    Committees

        1. The Board of Directors shall authorize and the President shall appoint such committees as necessary to advance the purposes
        and business of the Academy.

        2. There shall be a Membership Committee of five (5) active members, one (1) of which shall serve as Chairman, and said committee shall
        take such action as is necessary to comply with Article III.C of these bylaws.

        3. There shall be a Nominations Committee of three (3) active members, who shall present a slate of candidates for election as Directors
        and Officers at the annual meeting. Additional nominations may be made by a member present. There will be no vote by proxy, and a
        majority of the membership or of a quorum present shall elect.

        4. There shall be a Committee on Conduct of three (3) active members who will listen to and recommend to the Board of Directors any
        question concerning the conduct of any or all members.

A.    The Board of Directors may remove from the Academy any member upon the recommendation of the Committee of Conduct, but such removal may not be enacted until such time as the Board and the membership have heard the appeal of the member so recommended if such hearing is requested by the aggrieved member.

B.    The bylaws may be amended at any annual meeting at which such intention has been a part of the notice of the meeting. The amendment will be adopted if it carries the favorable recommendation of any five (5) of the Directors and is approved by a majority of the membership of a quorum present.

C.    The members of the Academy shall not be responsible for any indebtedness or liability incurred by or for any acts performed by any member or individual who is in attendance at any annual or special meeting, outing, or social activity of the Academy.

A.    The Academy shall be self supporting.  It shall use only those monies that are exclusively reserved for it in a University account.  Said monies shall accrue from contributions made or solicited by the members.

B.    The Board of Directors shall adopt an annual budget, which shall be reported to the active members. This budget will provide the Chairman of the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering at Missouri S&T with direction for the expenditure of monies from the account in the name of the Academy.

C.    The Officers and Directors shall instruct the Secretary/Treasurer in such efforts made annually to maintain funds in the Academy account pursuant to Article IV.D of the “STATEMENT OF AGREEMENT AND UNDERSTANDING CONCERNING THE ACADEMY OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING”.

A.    A plaque or certificate of membership in the Academy will be awarded to each active and honorary member (living or deceased) at the Induction Ceremony.

B.    A framed photograph (eight by ten inches) and a name plate of each honorary and active member of the Academy shall be prominently displayed in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Missouri S&T.

C.    A current biographical sketch limited to one-hundred and fifty (150) words of each honorary, active, and distinguished past members of the Academy will be maintained in the library of the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering at Missouri S&T where it will be easily accessible to the students.